Leicester Riders Anthony Rowe praised Leopards after their BBL Trophy clash

Big Cats earn praise after defeat

Leopards earned praise from Leicester Riders forward Anthony Rowe, despite their BBL Trophy defeat at Brentwood Centre.

The high-flying Riders won 105-63 in front of a big crowdto progress to the BBL Trophy quarter-final, but Rowe had some encouraging words about the Big Cats.

He said: “It was one of those games against a side a division below you where you know you have more talent but it comes down to desire.

“I was impressed with Leopards, though. They showed a lot of heart.

“We blitzed them early on, but to give them some props they stuck at it and made it a nine-point game at half-time.

“They kept battling and had some calls that they weren’t happy with, but they have some talent in that side.

“We definitely needed the game after the Christmas break so we could go through a few things and get back to playing good defence. They wanted that win so we had to focus and not take anything for granted.

“We needed to be turned in and I think the game will help us as we prepare for the [BBL Cup] final.”

Leopards will look to move up the EBL Division One table as they open 2013 with a double header this weekend.

Last season saw the Big Cats start the league campaign slowly before reeling off 19 straight wins to take the title, and Robert Youngblood’s team will hope for something similar this year.

Youngblood’s team face a rare Saturday night home game this week when they host Tees Valley Mohawks at Basildon Sporting Village, tip-off 7pm, before travelling to Medway Park Crusaders on Sunday.

The Mohawks are second in the EBL Division One table with seven wins from nine games, and the teams met on the opening weekend of the season as the north east side controversially won 83-81 in the National Trophy group stage.

Leopards are also in action in Gillingham on Sunday afternoon when they will look to repeat the 80-63 Trophy victory over the Kent side three months ago.

Crusaders, who include former Leopard Lukas Volskis in their line-up, are 11th in the Division One table with three wins from nine games, while the Big Cats head into the New Year in eighth spot with a 4-3 record having played the fewest games in the division.

Tickets are available on the door priced £6 for adults, £4 for children and £16 for a two-adult, two-child family.